Niamh's story
by Lisa Maire
Summary: The true Des and Sheelagh story, from there daughter's point of veiw ...
1. Take A Journey Back In Time

When you read this story, you're rading it as thought your telling it ...

Charicter: Sheelagh' best friend and fellow PC: PC Jennifar 'Jenny' Taylor and Sheelagh's kids: Danny 15, Luke 11 and Melissa 4

It had to be one of the most boring subjects on my timetable, not only were we stuck in a class room with the sun poring in threw the window so you felt like you where in a green house and a teacher to old to be aloud, banning on about Dukes and Kings that had made history. All in all Friday's History lessons were as boring as ever. The only remotely thing that ever happened in these lessons was Mr Page's dramatic entrance threw the back of the classroom. So after an uneventful hour latter the bell rang and I made my way out of the class with my best mate Katie, were we met up with are other mates, Louise, Samantha, Martin, Roger and Leo and set of home on our usual route home threw two estates. Outside on the street, it looked like what any normal East End London street would expect to look like on a Friday evening. Kids running riot, traffic going made, adults coming out of work. We walked are usual rote home, down the high street were we'd split at the end. Samantha and Louise went left towards the city center, whilst the rest of us went right towards the Coal Lane Estate, we never go in it if we can help it, we've heard to many story's about that place. Katie and me then said good bye to the others and went left up Canley High road. We were coming up to Bagshot Street when we passed a large building, the same building we pass ever night and we see it every morning. It was one of these four-foot long buildings and about two stories high. It had a blue metal bared gated at far left-hand side. It used to be a police station oh, so my parents tell me. But now it's closed the windows are boarded up and the metal gate has blue paint pealing off it. Nobody uses it any more. My parents have told my so many stories about that place, about the officers the good ones and the bad ones, the ugly ones and even the bent ones. About the different shouts. About the station being blown up. And also about the officers who had and affair with a member on there relief. But the best story I like is a love story, way better then Romeo and Juliet. A story about two people, two lovers, two Police officers. I suppose it all starts back in year 2003…


	2. In the Beginning

A year in which the station was still up and running, a year when the Sun Hill Metropolitan Police station was at the heart of the community, and the same year to people lives would change forever. This police station was pretty much like any other, like most stations it had a Superintendent in the name of Adam Okaro, a principled, civilized human being. Then there was the one and only chain – smoking Gina Gold, Sun Hill's tough fighting Inspector who had the capacity of terrifying every rank of officer on her relief. Not to mention Sun Hill's DCI and Ambitious DI who would go to any length to climb the ladder to Superintendent. There was also the Sergeants and Detective Sergeants. Now everybody loved Sgt. Smith or as he prefers it and the rest of the station call him Smithy. He's loyal and very easy to get on with and hates anyone who doesn't take responsibly for there own actions. Then there's DS Debbie McAllister, Scheming, manipulative but utterly irresistible she hid the traits of Cruella De Vil behind the face of Cinderella. Then they're the large variety of DC's and PC's. DC Eva Sharp, a straightforward working – class girl, who could get on with anybody, with the acceptation of DI Manson however. PC Reg Hollis, one of life's great monars, loves to listen to gossip and is always ready to irritate unwanted doom and gloom around the Nick. Gary Best, if you gave him a penny for his thought's you'd get change it's not that he's stupid, but that's not all ways the case it's just he has a tendency to run around like a headless chicken. DC Thatcher, a womanizer and a lady's man, I don't think Phil Hunter liked the competition. PC Tony Stamp loves his job … but then he must considering that he has been shot at, stabbed, beaten up half a dozen times, tried of causing death by dangerous driving and been accused of child abuse. However Tony's one of theses people you find hard not to get on with. But the two officers that I'm talking about or those of Sergeant Sheelagh Murphy, who is the perfect mother figure, having brought up two family's having a husband and three kids, and sees the good in everyone no matter what who's liked by and can get on with every. And PC Des Taviner, a womanizer, bigot and an Area Car driver with an inflated sense of his own importance. Sheelagh and Des were one pair you would not expect to become a couple, however the two started a reckless romance which in time aroused the suspicions of there colleagues Gina and Reg. However on the day of Sheelagh's wedding anniversary Des dropped her a bombshell full of shock and surprise, he told her he loved her. However it looked at one point that Sheelagh's marriage could have been over when Sheelagh's husband Patrick showed up at the station to give his wife as surprise on there anniversary, he was shown to Sheelagh's office by Adam Okaro who opened the door to find Des and Sheelagh in an extremely compromising potion against a filling cabinet! Adam managed to steer Patrick away from the office but there secret was out. After Adam had given them a … "I don't want to be dealing with your caprices" lecture, Des had a choice Sheelagh or his mates, so when he chooses his mates, Sheelagh told them that from then on there relationship was to be strictly professional. However the tables backfired when she told her colleague and best friend PC Jenny Taylor that she was pregnant. Jenny, who knew about the fact that she and Des had been an item, knew straight away who the father was. Urged Sheelagh to tell the Inspector. "You have got to got to Insp. Gold and tell her you want to be put on restricted duties otherwise your putting yourself and your colleges at risk not to mention the baby" however she didn't she put it of until there was an accident in which Sheelagh collapsed in Custody and was rushed to hospital with a worried Des in hot pursuit. It turned out to be a false alarm Sheelagh and the baby were fine but now her secret was out, both Des and Patrick now new she's pregnant. Sheelagh was in total shock, she didn't think she could live a lie and pretend the baby was Patrick's when Des was the father – but she didn't think that Des would have stud by her. Patrick was thrilled to discover his wife was pregnant it just doesn't occur to him that he's not the father of her baby. Des meanwhile pestered Sheelagh to tell him who the father was. When she finally blurted it out, he was gob smacked and panicked. He wasn't sure he was ready for fatherhood. However after thinking about it he told her, he would stand by her and the baby. But there was something holding Des back and she knew it. On the day of the unveiling of the plaque for the victims who died in 2002 when the station was fire bombed. Des bottled out of his speech, there was also the fact that a private investigator had started to investigate Des about it, Sheelagh told him they don't have a future unless he can't be honest. So he had no choice but to tell her the truth about the Sun Hill, fire …


	3. No going back

Sheelagh: 'You have got to tell me the truth Des, otherwise there is no future for us.'

Des: 'Can't you let it be?'

Sheelagh: 'No, what have you done Des?'

Des: 'It was and accident Shee, I sear on the baby's life it was an accident'

Sheelagh: 'Tell me'

Des: 'Its such a stupid thing.'

Sheelagh: 'All of it Des'

Des: 'Me and Reg we arrested someone with a bunch of fifty's it was evidence, but I peeled one of to put in Inspector Conway's collection after he was killed.'

Sheelagh: 'And?'

Des: 'The money turned out to be counter fit it was bent. I new in time someone would put two an two together and they'd release it was from the same bunch that was on Monroy's desk. I new I would be caught.'

Sheelagh: 'Stealing?'

Des: 'Yeah'

Sheelagh: 'What did you do?'

Des: 'There was a riot'

Sheelagh: 'I now that.'

Des: 'Simpson and his lot were outside, they were going crazy throwing petrol bombs.'

Sheelagh: 'So what did you do?'

Des: 'I only wanted to get ride of the fifty's'

Sheelagh: 'How?'

Des: 'So no one would now.'

Sheelagh: 'How?'

Des: 'I threw petrol bomb threw the window'

There was silence…

Des: 'I didn't now there would be an explosion'

Sheelagh: 'Six people Des, six people.'

Des: 'You think I don't now that.'

Sheelagh: 'You looked me in the eye and you told me how much pain and anger that scum like Simpson could kill your friends and get away with it.'

Des: 'I need you to understand'

Sheelagh: 'Six people are dead.'

Des: 'I can't make it right, I can't bring them back even if I wanted to, but it was an accident.'

Sheelagh: 'I don't know what to say.'

Des: 'I need you to tell me that you believe me, that what I'm telling you is the truth.'

Sheelagh: 'I can't.'

Des: 'Please well what are you going to do?'

Sheelagh: 'I don't know.'

At first Sheelagh didn't no what to do she told Des that he had to come clean…

Sheelagh: 'You've got to come clean.'

Des: 'Do you release what you're saying.'

Sheelagh: 'You could never put it right but you could try.'

Des: 'I tried being a good copper, I did something bad. But I'm not throwing away my life or the baby's or your life JUST BECAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT!'

Sheelagh: 'YOU LIED TO ME!'

Des: 'I lied to you, you lied to Patrick!'

Sheelagh: 'Yeah I deceived my husband, yeah I'm pregnant but I NEVER KILLED ANYONE!'

Des: 'I LIED BUT THE RIGHT MAN WENT DOWN!'

Sheelagh: 'NO DES, YOU'VE BEEN TELLING YOURSELF THAT FOR TO LONG IT ISN'T RIGHT, you got me pregnant without out telling me any of this, how can I bring this baby up now knowing what I no.'

Des: (sights) 'I fell for you, when you should up it was worth getting up in the mornings you made me forget about all of this –'

Pause

Des: '- AND SIMPSON'S THE GUILTY ONE!'

Sheelagh: 'OF KILLING CHEF INSPECTOR CONWAY, NON OF WHAT YOU DID!'

Des: 'I'm not coming clean no way!'

Sheelagh: 'Your leaving me no choice.'

Des: 'THERE'S GOT TO BE ANOTHER WAY'

Sheelagh: 'You now me Des, I'm a police officer what do you expect!'

Des: 'NOT THIS'

Sheelagh: 'But you have to take legal advice get a solicitor.'

Des: 'I thought you cared for me.'

Sheelagh: 'Come clean or I will.'

After this Des wasn't himself, Sheelagh was adamant that the only option was for Des to confess all and admit the truth to their superiors. However after PC Reg Hollis, one of Des's best friends who already new about the fire talked to Sheelagh, and he convinces her not to say anything. Sheelagh then told Patrick that their marriage was over. But when Des learned that Sheelagh had apparently gone to the yard with Superintendent Okaro he thinks Sheelagh has betrayed him, he immediately assumes the worst and takes drastic and dangerous action while out on a call with Reg. Des thinks he's facing a life imprisonment and he can't deal with that. In his distressed state, Des shouldn't drive a shopping trolley, let alone a police car!

He tells Reg to get out of the car…

Des: 'Get out the car'

Reg: 'What you going to do to?'

Des: 'I said get out the car Reg you've done enough damage.'

Reg: 'Me?'

Des: 'Yeah you, do you think Sheelagh would have given me the third degree without you mixing it, I've had my bit of the cherry it was there in my hands and you wade in, no this is your last chance GET OUT.'

Reg; 'So you can do something stupid no way.'

Des: 'All right then suit yourself!'

… but Reg refuses. So Des is forced to take Reg with him when Des looses control while chasing a suspect and crashes into a warehouse and some gas canisters…

Des: 'Looks like the end Reggie babe'

… which blew up on impact. After the crash Sgt Smith and PC Stamp are quickly on the scene…

Tony: 'Sierra Oscar from 595 the area car has crashed, it's on fire no sign of Des or Reg firebrigade, Ambulance and assistance required.

Back at the station, on the radio:

Gary: '149 received over.'

Honey: '158 received over.'

Despite the choking flames Smithy pulls Reg out of the fire. But there was no sign of Des? Meanwhile Sgt. June Ackland told Sheelagh about the accident and that Reg was in hospital and that they couldn't find Des body. Sheelagh then tells June she's pregnant and that Des is father. Just after she had told Patrick he wasn't. So Des was dead. She was on her own. Reg was taken to hospital and after several weeks made a full recovery. No one could understand why Des had behaved like that, I mean of all the things Des Taviner was he was a good driver. But the mystery became even bigger when the forensic examination results came back and they discovered something, which was unbelievable; it couldn't have been possible …

Adam: 'Forensics have double checked the scene and are now 100 percent sure there is NO trace of Des body.'

June: 'So what dose that mean?'

Adam: 'It means Des Taviner is still alive.'

After June herd this, she told Sheelagh, and asked her if she could think of any reason why Des might go into hiding, then it clicked. Sheelagh told June about Des's confession, which made her sick, literally, and she made Sheelagh tell Adam. So now the superiors knew why Des was on the run.

Two, month past and it was coming up to Christmas and Sheelagh was fed up of light duties so on this particular day she and Gina had gone on a call out just to get out of the office, but the tables changed when Sheelagh went into labor and Gina ended up delivering her baby girl in a shed at the back of a pub! Sheelagh and her baby were taken to St Hughes hospital were Reg visited the pair of them. Sheelagh decided to call her new daughter, Niamh (its Gaelic for "bright")


	4. In Years Gone By

And there they were, Sheelagh brought up Niamh without Des for sixteen happy years, but Reg was always glad to help out. As she was getting older Niamh started to ask where her father was. Sheelagh told her he had died in a car accident before she was born which was partly true. Sheelagh didn't tell her what he had done or that he had killed 6 people she didn't see the need or think she would be able to handle it, apart from that Des Taviner was never really mentioned. But all that was about to change. In the sixteen years that had past not a lot had really changed at Sun Hill everything was still as it was the day Des drove into the warehouse. But one night after her shift Sheelagh was going home to her daughter and family. When something happened. She walked out of the station and started to walk down the street past the station when she got a prickle feeling on the back on her neck, like she was being watched. She turned around and there he was…Des Taviner. She stepped into the road but he had vanished. The next day however Sheelagh was shaken by her sighting of Des had asked Reg why he had come back. Reg believed Des had come back into Sun Hill to clam his daughter. So you could imagine Sheelagh's reaction when she believed Niamh had gone missing after failing to turn up at school, and her first thought was that Des has kidnapped Niamh. Reg and Gina both tried to calm her down and after a search find her safe and well, it turned out that she had skipped a lesson and gone to the park with her mates. It's panic, over nothing, and in a way it lulled Sheelagh into a false sense of security. As Sheelagh began to calm down, she agreed to let Niamh out of her sight for the evening so she could meet up with Patrick and try and patch up their marriage. However on the night she went out Niamh wasn't feeling to good, Sheelagh said she could stay home but Niamh said she'd be all right, she took a tablet and went to bed. Just to take extra care Sheelagh wanted somebody to stay with her so Gina asked PC Camron Tait if he wouldn't mind watching her, he had a daughter of his own so Sheelagh agreed that he was a safe bet. But while Sheelagh was out Camron went up to check on Niamh who was asleep but when he went up to her that's when he discovered she wasn't not breathing. So when Sheelagh came home, she found an ambulance outside the house and paramedics trying to resuscitate Niamh. Niamh was rushed to hospital but there was nothing anyone can do. And she latter died…

The mystery surrounding Niamh's death only made matters worse as Sheelagh took the loss of her daughter hard and struggled to take in what had happened it didn't help matters when her house then became a crime scene, and thinking Des may have had something to do with her death. She also blamed Camron and the Aussie cop turned to drink in an effort to escape his feelings of guilt and responsibility. However it turned out that Camron was not to blame for Niamh's death but he still felt guilty.

It turned out Niamh had a whole in her heart that was so tiny no one could detect it, and it could have killed her at any time.

However, when Des turned up on Sheelagh's door step she tried to shut the door in his face but he told her that he had come back for her and there child. Des was blabbering on about how much he loves them both and he wants to be with them, so she is forced to tell him that there daughter has died. He was totally shocked and runs of. Des managed to track down Niamh's chapel of rest and battled his way past Reg – who is on guard to capture him – to say a heartfelt hello and goodbye to his daughter. After a row broke out between the former friends Reg let slip that Camron was watching his daughter the night she died and, outraged, Des left Reg bound and gagged and set of on the hunt for Camron's blood…


	5. A Mothers Pain

On the day of Niamh's funeral, it wasn't the peaceful affair Sheelagh was hoping for when the police decide the sad occasion would be the best chance to capture the cop killer, Des Taviner. But when she discovers what her colleagues were planing to do she begged her friend June not to allow it to happen, but June was forced to lie and tell her nothing would happen. However Sheelagh spotted an undercover cop at the funeral and was furious with June for hiding the truth. But it was at the wake that things started to take their toll. When PC Kerry Young said a comment about Des, which marked Sheelagh releases that Kerry new Des was the father. That was when Sheelagh total lost it and announced to everyone that Des was the father just as Patrick walked in.

After the funeral Sheelagh decided to meet up with Des, only Des had other ideas and used her as a decoy to kidnap Camron at gunpoint. It was then that the Superintendent decided to tell the relief why Des was on the run and why they needed to find Carmon, But Camron made him release that killing him wasn't the answer to his problems so he ran of telling Sheelagh were Camron was and that he was ok.

So after that Sheelagh tried to get her life back on track. It wasn't easy but she used work as a distraction. She was just starting to put her life back together when Superintendent Okaro informed her that Des had finally been arrested by his good friend Reg, and was being brought to Sun Hill much to the dismay of the relief. There was an emotional moment when he came into Custody. June was meant to be booking him in, only there was a bit of a commotion…

Des: 'I shouldn't be here, I shouldn't be here Sheelagh tell them it was a mistake, I didn't mean to heart anyone.

Gina: 'Oh shut it'

Des: 'Sheelagh please!'

Sheelagh: 'Just leave me alone, there's nothing I can do for you now, just leave me alone'

Des: 'Sheelagh please!'

After he was booked in, Sheelagh went to visit Des in his cell and they had a little chat…

Des: 'I need to talk to you Shee'

Sheelagh: 'I've got nothing to say'

Des: 'Open the door please'

Sheelagh: 'No you can talk to me threw here what do you what do you want?'

Des: 'And need you to tell me it was a mistake.'

Sheelagh: 'What?'

Des: 'To listen to you'

Sheelagh: 'Des I can't talk about your case you now that.'

She turned to leave

Des: 'Sheelagh, wait I don't want to talk about the case, I want to talk about us.

She turned back

Des: 'I can't get threw this without you'

Sheelagh: 'Your going to have to'

Des: 'You can't say that to me, what about us'

Sheelagh: 'Des that's all over.'

Des: 'We had a child'

Sheelagh: 'Who died.'

Des: Sheelagh, I love.'

Sheelagh: 'Des stop it please.'

Des: 'I just need to hear you say that you love me.'

Pause

Sheelagh: 'No I've nothing left, nothing.'

Des: 'SHEE, SHEE, DON'T LEAVE US LIKE THAT, COME ON I NEED TO TALK TO YOU SHEELAGH, SHEELGH!'

Later on Sheelagh went to check on Des in his cell and found him, lying on the floor, blood dripping from his mouth…

Sheelagh: 'Oh my god, Smithy the alarm! Now!'

Smithy set of the alarms and came running into the cell in which Des was lying on the floor and his cell mate Robert McCluskey sitting looking at them.

McCluskey: 'I was just trying to make him be quite, he wouldn't be quiet'

Sheelagh: 'He's not breathing!'

Smithy: 'Are you sure he's not breathing?'

Sheelagh: 'Yes!'

Smithy: 'But you only checked him five minuets ago'

Sheelagh: 'Look just get the first aid box from behind the counter.'

Smithy: 'I'll get an ambulance.'

Smithy ran into Custody where Adam and a DI from MIT had just came in.

Adam: 'Is Taviner causing trouble? DI Madden is here to take away.'

Smithy: 'Yeah well that wont be possible because he's unconscious in there he's not breathing.'

They go to see what's going on, Smithy got on the phone and called June who was in CAD along with Reg.

Smithy: 'Yeah June I need an ambulance in Custody straight away.'

Up in CAD…

June: 'Custody? Right, ambulance on its way, Des Taviner has collapsed in Custody.'

Reg: 'He's what?'

Reg heads down to Custody…

Madden: 'McCluskey is still are main man, have him arrested for assault and get him out of here'

Sheelagh: 'Yes'

She started CPR when the DCI came in followed by the paramedics.

Jack: 'Let these guys threw paramedics threw.'

Adam: 'Sheelagh'

Sheelagh: 'I've been doing CPR for the past five minuets he still hasn't responded.'

Gina: 'Is that how you found him.'

Sheelagh: 'Yes.'

Gina: 'Any sign of a struggle?'

Sheelagh: 'No obviously not.'

Paramedic: 'Charging two hundred'

Sheelagh: 'Come on Des not like this, come on.'

Paramedic: 'Stand clear, pupils fixed and dilated we need to get him to St Hughes.'

Des left the station on a stretcher. Reg was standing in the doorway, while Des was being put in the back of the Ambulance. Tony was getting out of the Area Car.

Smithy: 'You handled that really well.'

Sheelagh: 'Not well enough'

Smithy: Well you never no they still might revive him.'

Sheelagh just stared at Smithy. However upstairs in Superintendent's office, Adam received a phone call…

Adam: 'St Hughes have just confirmed, Des Taviner was pronounced Dead at 18:20hours'


	6. Moving On In Years

… The relief were stunned, they final had their hands on Des Taviner and now he was dead. To make matters worse suspicions were raised about Sheelagh's involvement. Did she deliberately put Des in a cell with a man with a mental illness? Did she follow the right procedures? Finding herself under investigation was a devastating blow for Sheelagh, especially as she also had to cope with the grief of losing someone for whom she still had feelings for however after an inquest Sheelagh was cleared of the charge. But it wasn't just Sheelagh who was grief – stricken; Reg Hollis was devastated to. He and Des had, had the most remarkable friendship. And despite everything that Des had done, Reg was distraught at his partner's death. We walked past the station to the corner of Bagshot street were Katie said good bye and went of towards the Devin Street area, and I walked along Maybrew lane. On the opposite side of the road I could see my boyfriend Marten and my mate Louise walking down the street. They then went into the same café we used to go in; there they met up with, Samantha, Leo, Roger and Katie. I walked past the café and got to the end of the street. I looked up the street and saw my two stepbrothers Daniel and Luke, my step – sister Melissa, with my stepfather getting out of the car. I then saw my mum with my godmother Jenny walking towards them. Together they all crossed the road and disappeared out of sight. I crossed the road and walked threw Canley park, the Sky was starting to go red as the day was near to and end. I walked to the end of the Park and cut threw Sun Hill Cemetery I walked up a hill when I got to the top I could see my mum, step father, Daniel, Luke, Melissa and Jenny at the bottom looking at something. I sat on the top of the hill for about 15mins before they all left. I watched them go, when they had disappeared. I got up and walked down the hill I stopped when I reached the thing they were looking at, they were looking at me. I sat down on the ground and stared, as the sun set over Sun Hill. – oh and incidentally my name is Niamh Murphy and this is my story.


End file.
